Consumers allege that when they place orders with Giddy-up Swings ‘n Things, they are charged right away and receive order confirmations, but their merchandise never arrives, or turns up well past the delivery due date. Consumers also complain the company does not respond to emails and phone calls.

As of Feb. 18, 2014, BBB has received 13 complaints about Giddy-up Swings ‘n Things. The company has failed to respond to eight complaints. Consumers whose complaints were resolved informed BBB that they finally received their order, but well past the expected delivery date.

Jacki Montgomery of Fort Worth said she ordered a $54 bird-shaped planter from the company. Her PayPal account was debited, but she never received her order.

“I ordered in May 2012. I never heard back from the company. I tried to contact them several times. A friend of mine even tried to contact them. I have never gotten my money back.”

Sandra Hardell of San Antonio said she ordered four planters, which were not shipped after a long delay, although her credit card was charged immediately. She said she finally received two of the four planters, but never got the rest and had the charges reversed by her credit card company.

“I ordered four planters. They only shipped two,” Hardell said. “I contacted them multiple times, maybe 20 or 30 by phone and email. I was able to speak to the owner one time, who told me my order was boxed and about to be shipped. About a month after that, two planters showed up. The other two never showed up. I finally gave up and the credit card company reversed the charges.”

BBB offers the following advice for online shopping:

Pay with a credit card.Under federal law, charges made on a credit card can be disputed up to 60 days after the purchase.

Keep documentation of your order. After completing the online order process, there should be a final confirmation page or an email confirmation. Print and save any receipts for future reference.

Know your rights. Federal law requires that orders made by mail, phone or online be shipped by the date promised or, if no delivery time was stated, within 30 days. If the goods aren’t shipped on time, the shopper can cancel and demand a refund. There is no general three-day cancellation right, but consumers do have the right to reject merchandise if it’s defective or was misrepresented. Otherwise, it’s the company’s policies that determine if the shopper can cancel the purchase and receive a refund or credit.

Do your research. Check the company’s BBB Business Review at bbb.org before making a purchase to see its BBB rating, complaint history and any advertising-related issues.

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